• 7 aspirants step down for Tinubu, 1 withdraws for Osinbajo
• 22 killed in Owo church attack — 56 still hospitalised
• Okada riders clash with Lagos taskforce officials over enforcement
• IPOB raises the alarm over alleged plan to seize guns in South East
• Nigeria, Sierra Leone AFCON 2023 qualifier will hold without fans, says NFF

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss:

7 aspirants step down for Tinubu, 1 withdraws for Osinbajo

28 presidential hopefuls had picked the nomination and expression of interest forms, but five of them later pulled out. 23 aspirants appeared before the APC presidential screening committee led by the party’s former chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun.

The former Governor of Akwa Ibom, Godswill Akpabio, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, a former Ogun Governor, Ekiti Governor, Kayode Fayemi, former House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole, Senator Ajayi Boroffice from Ondo, Jigawa Governor, Abubakar Badaru, an only female presidential aspirant in the race, Ohanenye Uju all withdrew for Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The youngest male presidential aspirant, Nicholas Felix, stepped down for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Ken Nnamani, a former President of the Senate, had earlier withdrawn from the race before the commencement of the convention. But, Nnamani did not announce his support for any of the remaining aspirants.

22 killed in Owo church attack, 56 still hospitalised

Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo, says 22 persons have been confirmed dead following the attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo.

Speaking in a statewide broadcast on Tuesday, Akeredolu said 80 people were involved in the attack and that 56 people are currently receiving treatment in hospitals.

“The most unfortunate part is the lives of innocent children cut down in their prime and some severely injured by the mindless attackers. The total number of people involved was 80. As at now, 56 are on admission, two discharged, while the death toll is 22.”

Speaking further, the Ondo governor said the attack is an “attempt to test the will of the people of the state and indeed, the south-west”.

Okada riders clash with Lagos taskforce officials over enforcement of ban

Several commercial motorcyclists – Okada riders – on Tuesday, protested the seizure of their motorcycles by the Lagos task force team in Idi-Araba, Lagos. Their protest led to the disruption of activities and movement around the area.

The police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, while addressing the matter on his Twitter handle, said the area is now safe.

He explained that “some lawless motorcycle operators were trying to cause trouble after their motorcycles were impounded.

“Our men are fully the on ground. CP Abiodun Alabi personally coordinated our response.”

IPOB raises the alarm over alleged plan to seize guns in South East

Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has raised the alarm over the alleged plan by the Nigerian Army to commence confiscation of local guns in the South East.

IPOB revealed that the house-to-house search and seizures would be embarked upon against the innocent citizens of four local councils of Imo, including Obowu, Achingali in Mbaise, Mbano and Ihite Uboma.

The statement by Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful, reads in part: “We, the global movement and family of IPOB, led by our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, raises the alarm over secret genocide the Nigerian Army and its sister security agencies wish to embark upon against innocent citizens of Obowu, Achingali in Mbaise, Mbano, Ihite Uboma local councils of Imo.

“The information at our disposal indicates that the Nigeria Army and police have been deployed to these communities to embark on a house-to-house search to mop up hunters’ guns and personal objects people use for their security, mostly single and double barrel guns, being used for hunting games and for self-defence from dangerous animals and terrorists as the government agencies care less about their safety.

“This move further confirms our complaint about the deliberate attempt to wipe Biafrans out, and for Fulani to occupy our ancestral lands.”

Nigeria, Sierra Leone AFCON 2023 qualifier will hold without fans, says NFF

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Tuesday, reiterated that tomorrow’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying encounter between the Super Eagles and the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, will be played without fans in the stands.

NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, said the situation is a consequence of the one-match ban placed on the country by the world football–governing body, FIFA, over the fracas that followed the end of the 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff round against the Black Stars of Ghana in March.  

The Super Eagles take on the Leone Stars at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja in a Day 1 game of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations starting from 5.00 p.m. tomorrow. Four days later, they tackle ‘The Falcons and True Parrots’ of São Tomé and Príncipe at the 45,000 –capacity Grand Stade de Agadir in southern Morocco.